Tacloban City, Leyte — More than a week before the scheduled visit of Pope Francis to Tacloban City, about 60% of the parishes in Region 8 have submitted their list of official delegates who will attend the papal mass on January 17 at Tacloban airport.

The Archdiocese of Palo, through its social action director Fr. Amadeo Alvero, said that the registration has been extended to January 7 due to a relatively low number of registrants in the past few weeks for various reasons.

Lilia Rapada, a Catholic since birth, wanted to attend the papal mass but because of her age and condition she decided to opt out as she feared that she might not be able to walk all the way to the airport.

“We are expecting more pilgrims who will register for the papal mass. We expect that the 78,000 delegates coming from the parishes will occupy the apron of the air port,” Fr. Alvero told interaksyon.com

For those who will not be able to register in their respective parishes, they could still enter after the official delegates arrive at the papal mass area he said.

All in all, as many as 120,000 pilgrims are expected to come from their parishes and nearby dioceses. However, they are estimating about million people who will see the Pope during his motorcade around Tacloban.

For those who want to join the mass, one must be able bodied and be registered at their respective parishes.

Meanwhile, the 30 victims of the typhoon and earthquake disaster who will join the luncheon with the Pope will be coming from (5) Diocese of Borongan, (5) Diocese of Tagbilaran, (5) Diocese of Calbayog and (15) from the archdiocese of Palo.

They were chosen through a selection process conducted by church officials.

The 30 victims were among the poorest victims of calamities who have lost their loved ones and whose houses were destroyed by typhoon Yolanda and the earthquake.